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WWE takes its cameras to Toronto's Ricoh Coliseum on Saturday, Mar. 12 for a live WWE Network special. This added stop on the road to WrestleMania has been dubbed Roadblock - fitting especially for the main event, which could greatly alter plans for the two top matches at the Showcase of the Immortals in early April.
The latest in a new tradition of house shows broadcast on WWE's subscription streaming service, Roadblock has seen numerous changes since it was first announced - including its name, which was March to WrestleMania - Live from Toronto. Rumored to center around a Brock Lesnar vs. Luke Harper match which would lead to a Mania match against the leader of the Wyatt Family, the rise of Dean Ambrose as a championship-level player resulted in Bray taking on the Beast Incarnate here rather than in Texas (where Brock will face Ambrose) and the Lunatic Fringe receiving an impromptu title shot against Triple H.
Perhaps because of the fluid nature of the card, we only have four matches confirmed as of the day of the show (UPDATE: Charlotte says she's facing Natalya tonight; we break down that news and preview their match-up here). We'll break each of those down for you here. Be sure to check here for predictions from Geno Mrosko, Bill Hanstock and myself on each of these bouts, here for some analysis of what else we might get on the three hour show, and stick with Cageside tonight for live results and analysis during and after the show!
Triple H (c) vs. Dean Ambrose - WWE World Heavyweight Championship match
The Game's plan was to wait until WrestleMania for the first defense of his 14th World title reign. But after sending the #1 contender to the hospital, Roman Reigns "brother" Dean Ambrose figured Triple H needed something to do with his time.
Dean, not being one to take "no" for answer, wasn't willing to let Hunter's destruction of Reigns, or the beating he caught from Brock Lesnar, or the one Trips commissioned League of Nations to lay on him, make him stop asking. So when he responded to all of those by punching the champ in the mouth, Haitch gave him what he wanted - and then a taste of what he'd given Roman.
And, that's pretty much the build. The Game tried a similar trick with the Wyatts this week, but caught a Dirty Deeds for his effort, so each man's stood tall once in the quick turnaround from Fastlane, the last pay-per-view (PPV) which just took place on Feb. 21.
Behind the scenes, things get even more interesting. Ambrose was the guy who took the pin in the Fastlane Triple Threat which resulting in the Big Dog becoming #1 contender, but he was also the last guy in the ring when Triple H won the belt in the Royal Rumble. Many fans embraced Dean - and further rejected Reigns - as those events unfolded, and Roadblock's headlining contest is seen as throwing those folks a bone.
It's highly unlikely Vince McMahon is going to change course and send the Lunatic Fringe into Mania as the champ however. Will his supporters be satisfied with anything less than a win? Ambrose is still set for a huge match in AT&T Stadium next month - would WWE give him a clean loss weeks away from facing Lesnar?
The assumption is he'll be protected in some way. If this is a way to reintroduce Reigns, who hasn't been seen since fans roared while Hunter bloodied him on the Raw after Fastlane, how will Toronto receive him? Could Brock get involved to resume the angle which will culminate in a Street Fight in Texas?
This one will be less about the almost assured outcome, and more about how we get there.
Brock Lesnar vs. Bray Wyatt
Multiple reports had this match penciled into the WrestleMania card, and their interactions in the Rumble backed up those reports. The Beast Incarnate dispatched all three of Bray's followers, but Luke Harper, Erick Rowan & Braun Strowman returned to assist Wyatt in getting Lesnar over the top rope and out of the match.
Everything seemed set, with the Eater of Worlds' charges set for an image strengthening win over a team of popular hosses at Fastlane to bolster his credentials... and then Big Show, Kane & Ryback upset the Wyatts at Fastlane, and the fireflies were lost.
The answer turned out to be to continue their program, just on a smaller stage. The question becomes if there are Mania plans of any consequence for Bray now that Lesnar is taking on Ambrose on April 3. There's no way Paul Heyman's guy is losing, but will any effort be made to ensure the New Face of Fear's speeches about being "more than just a man" are more than just bluster?
Harper's trip to Suplex City ended with a F5 Friday night in Quebec. Will his leader fare any better in Ontario?
The New Day (c) vs. Sheamus & King Barrett - WWE Tag Team Championship
At the last PPV, the positive trio weren't booked for match, instead being the guests of another pair of entertaining partners, Edge & Christian. Though many hoped that would serve as a way to introduce a third popular tag team to the roster (more on them in a minute), it ended up being a way to establish a rivalry with League of Nations.
Big E, Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods have joined forces with King Barrett, Sheamus & Rusev in the past, but seeing as how they've pretty much cleaned out the division - they've spent the time since Fastlane serving as extras in Chris Jericho and AJ Styles' program, after all - it was only a matter of time until they clashed with some fellow heels.
Most of the set-up for this has come via social media, but it's been fun. And with rumors saying these teams will meet again in April at the Show of Shows (either two-on-two or as part of a multi-team affair), some are wondering if Alberto Del Rio might not be a difference maker, as New Day finally has that darn numbers game work against them.
The Revival vs. Enzo Amore & Colin Cassady - NXT Tag Team Championship
Zo & Cass have had been striving for the NXT tag belts for almost their entire WWE careers. And that struggle has involved Scott Dawson since back in the days before NXT was cool (and when the Mechanic was managed by one guy who's since been released and partnered with another no longer with the company).
That rivalry heated up further before Scott and current partner Dash Wilder won the straps. As payback for a loss, Dash & Dawson ambushed Big Cass during his entrance for the rematch, and put the seven-footer on the shelf. While he was out, the rudos won the titles. He made it back for a championship match in London, but the Realest Guys again came up short.
Pinning their loss on the Revival threatening their girl Carmella, Amore & Cassady lobbied for another shot. Not taking kindly to their complaints, Dash & Dawson jumped them in the Performance Center parking lot... an attack that was "captured on security cameras" and broadcast to the world.
Now, with rumors again swirling that the Smacktalker Skywalker and his large friend are on the way to Raw & SmackDown (they were the ones believed to be debuting on the Cutting Edge Peep Show at Fastlane, too), General Manager William Regal is giving them one last shot at their rivals - and the titles.
Will this be the time they win the prize which has eluded them? Or just their chance to introduce themselves to the larger WWE Universe?
Find out at Roadblock, and right here at cSs!